Be Always Prayful Series

“PRAY CONTINUALLY”

1 Thess. 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

A young boy once made a point on the importance of praying with a family who had invited him to dinner. The boy at age six had been taught that it was important to give thanks to God before each meal. As the host family sat at the dinner table and was about to dig in and eat he interrupted and asked, “Don’t you say any prayer before you eat?” The host was embarrassed by the question and mumbled in return, “No, we don’t take time for that.” The boy sat silent for a minute and then said, “Oh, I see, you eat like my dog does; he just starts right in too!”

To this little boy prayer was important ... it should also be to every believer! One of the most neglected parts of being a Christian is often our prayer life, yet it is one of the most critical parts.

God has ordained that prayer be foundation for much of what He does in this world! We can miss out on a great deal of what God has for us if we neglect prayer.

Prayer is much more than just saying words to God with your eyes closed! Paul admonishes the church in Thessalonica to “PRAY CONTINUALLY!” But how is this possible, how can someone pray continually?

The Bible will teach us that our prayer life consists not only of times of speaking to the Lord in prayer but also in communing with the Lord throughout the entire day ... to be in touch with God all the time. Prayer is being in contact with the Lord as well as speaking to him, in this way we can pray continuously!

I. REQUIREMENT OF PRAYER 1 Thess. 5:17a Col. 4:2 Psm. 119:164 Dan. 6:3-28

1 Thess. 5: 17 Pray without ceasing. Col. 4:2

Once again Paul uses a command.

Prayer is not an option for the believer!

The first century church was a praying church, and the Lord was able to work in great ways among them!

Every time we look into the New Testament churches we find them praying, each time we read about the great men and women of the Bible we find them praying!

It is impossible to think about having a healthy relationship with God without prayer!

Just like it would be impossible to have a relationship with someone on earth without speaking to them it is impossible to have a healthy relationship with God without praying!

Prayer is communication, it is the basic way we build and maintain relationships! Since God is without needs, we are the biggest loser when we fail to pray!

God desires our fellowship, prayer is the way!

David mentions in Psm. 119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

David’s point was that prayer was important to him, for his daily life with God to be complete he was in constant communion with the Lord!

DANIEL is a good example of how critical prayer was to his life with God, in Dan. 6:3-28 his usual practice to pray 3 times a day ... to Daniel a normal day was one where he was in contact with God at regular intervals! The day was not complete without it!

The story of Daniel’s testimony and the victory in the lion’s den could not have happened without his prayer life! NOTE: It was his faithful prayer life that caused the whole incident of the lion’s den ... he was trapped by laws forbidding praying to any other God other than the king and those who laid the trap knew they could count on him praying to his God faithfully 3 times a day, they knew he was as good as guilty! How many Christians today would be convicted by the evidence if they were taken to court for praying?

PRAYER is critical for the Christian and the church!

We must not claim the importance of prayer and ignore it in our practice or we will never know its power in our lives and others won’t know it either!

Prayer is critical; it is our lifeline to God! It is our communication network with God, it cannot be optional! IT IS A NECESSITY!’

II. PERSONALITY OF PRAYER 1 Thess. 5:17b Eph. 6:18

Prayer is much more than just talking to God at select moments!

If prayer was only talking this command of Paul’s would be impossible!

To pray continually would mean to ignore everything else if it meant only verbal prayers.

Like locking ourselves up in a monastery and doing nothing but praying!

Prayer is much more than just verbal communication ... it is communion of our mind and heart with God at all times, being in contact in with God.